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Arsenal’s hopes of breaking their streak of three straight second-place finishes in the Premier League and ending a 22-year wait for the title took a major hit on Sunday, as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Manchester City.

The encounter at the Etihad Stadium had been widely viewed as a crucial fixture in this season’s title race, but the Gunners failed to halt their recent downturn, which has seen them secure just one victory in their last five matches across all competitions.

Rayan Cherki put Pep Guardiola’s side in front early on, but Kai Havertz equalised for Arsenal in the 18th minute. However, Erling Haaland restored City's lead on 65 minutes to seal all three points for the home side.

After seeing his team narrowly miss out on an equaliser, Mikel Arteta described the defeat as one decided by fine margins as he sought to analyse the performance.

“I don't think there was any difference between the teams,” the Spaniard told Sky Sports after the loss.

“There are a few factors involved. Sometimes it’s about luck—whether the ball goes in or not. For the second goal, it deflects and falls to Haaland.

“There’s also the individual brilliance, the ability to stay calm, be precise, and ruthless in those key moments. That’s what makes the difference.”

Following last weekend’s disappointing defeat to Bournemouth, Arteta insisted his players showed greater intensity and focus at the Etihad.

“You could see from the very start and all the way through to the end the attitude of the team,” he said. “We might have been a bit more composed at times, but we definitely took the game where we wanted it and created big chances to win.

“We came very close but not quite enough. We have to accept that we missed a big opportunity today. There are still five games remaining, so we need to reset and go again. There are plenty of positives to take from this performance.”

The result leaves Arsenal, who have played one more match than Manchester City, with their lead reduced to three points. Guardiola’s men head to Burnley on Wednesday night, knowing a win would take them to the top of the table with just five games remaining.

Speaking to BBC’s Match of the Day, the 44-year-old Arteta stressed that his side’s belief remains strong.

“100 per cent,” he said. “I told the boys to look in the mirror and remember the team we faced, the history they have, and how they came back after conceding. There are many positives we can take. The difference was in both boxes, that’s certain.”